Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA2118: Gender-Identity and Modernity in the Middle East

This module descriptor refers to the 2016/7 academic year.

Module Aims

The module explores interrelationships between gender, identity and modernity in the contemporary Middle East. It provides a critical analysis of the various debates, tensions and transformations that are linked to changing gender relations in the region. These debates are framed within the parameters of modernisation, nationalism, feminism and Islamism. A critique of modernity in the context of the Middle East involves a close examination of the traditional vs. modern and authentic vs. western dichotomies, which are not only prevalent in academic writings, but also constitute forceful oppositions in the cultural, historical and political discourses within the region.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. demonstrate an ability to identify and assess the changing social, cultural, economic and political contexts that shape gender roles and relations. 2. critically evaluate different theoretical and methodological approaches employed in the study of gender in the Middle East
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. demonstrate ability to analyse and assess academic texts and prevailing cultural notions critically 4. demonstrate ability to distinguish between a range of methodological approaches as well as variety of genres, i.e. anthropological and sociological texts, (auto)biographical writings and fiction
Personal and Key Skills	5. demonstrate ability to engage in independent study and group work, including the presentation of material for group discussion 6. demonstrate an ability to digest, select and organise material to produce, to a deadline, a coherent and cogent argument, developed through the mode of assessment 7. demonstrate a capacity to critically examine and review existing literature. 8. demonstrate an awareness and be sensitised to the various processes by which gender, i.e. femaleness and maleness, are socially and culturally constructed

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

Studying Women and Gender in the Middle East

Representation: The Legacy of Orientalism
Islam, Tradition and Patriarchy
The 'Woman Question' and Gender Relations in Nation-State Building
The Political Economy of Honour Crimes
Gender and Citizenship in the Middle East
Women's Struggles to Reform the Personal Status Laws in the Middle East
Women, War and Violence
Women's and Feminist Anti-War Activism
Women's Movements between Secular and Religious Agendas
Revision

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
22	128

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity	22	The course consists of lectures, class discussions and student presentations. Each two-hourly seminar will commence with a class discussion on the topic and reading for the week, and conclude with a lecture on the topic and readings for the following week.
Guided Independent study	128	A variety of independent study tasks directed by module leader

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

l material will be posted on the Online Learning System and discussion lists will be created.

ELE – http://ele.exeter.ac.uk/

Other Learning Resources

Videos, TV programmes, pictures, memoirs.